irregular Verbs are the most important part of a sentence. This handout explores irregular verbs—verbs whose forms do not follow normal patterns.

Note: For in-depth analysis of other features of verbs, please see our “Verbs” and “ Tenses” handouts. Irregular Verb Basics Principal Forms of Verbs Verbs have six principal forms, which are summarized in the chart (also known as a verb paradigm) below.

Verb Paradigm for “Talk” Plain Present Talk Primary Forms Third-person-singular Present Talks Preterite Talked Plain Form Talk Secondary Forms Gerund- Talking Past Participle Talked

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs Most verbs follow a basic pattern: the plain present and plain form are identical, as are the preterite and past participle. These verbs are called regular verbs.

Inflectional Pattern In Regular Verbs Plain Present Plain Form Preterite Past Participle Talk Talked Type Typed Watch Watched

However, some verbs do not follow this pattern. These verbs are called irregular verbs.

Writing Center SMC Campus Center 621 W. Lombard St. Room 307 www.umaryland.edu/writing 410-706-7725 Version 2.0 1 “Be” Since “be” is the most common irregular verb in English, we have included it here as well as in our “Verbs” handout.

Verb Paradigm for “Be” Singular Plural First Person Am Are Present Second Person Are Are Third Person Is Are Primary Forms Singular Plural First Person Was Were Preterite Second Person Were Were Third Person Was Were Plain Form Be Gerund- Secondary Forms Being participle Past Participle Been Common Irregular Verbs Below we have included a list of the most common irregular verbs. You can use this list to form a variety of sentences.

Simple Present: We see him everyday.

3rd-Person Singular Present: She sees him on Wednesdays.

Preterite: I saw him yesterday.

Plain Form: Would you like to see him?

Gerund-participle: They won’t be seeing him.

Past Participle: No one has seen him.

Irregular Verbs Primary Forms Secondary Forms 3rd-person Verb Simple Gerund- Past Singular Preterite Plain Form Present Participle Participle Present Become Become Becomes Became Become Becoming Become Begin Begin Begins Began Begin Beginning Begun Bring Bring Brings Brought Bring Bringing Brought Come Come Comes Came Come Coming Come Writing Center SMC Campus Center 621 W. Lombard St. Room 307 www.umaryland.edu/writing 410-706-7725 2 Irregular Verbs Primary Forms Secondary Forms 3rd-person Verb Simple Gerund- Past Singular Preterite Plain Form Present Participle Participle Present Feel Feel Feels Felt Feel Feeling Felt Find Find Finds Found Find Finding Found Get Get Gets Got Get Getting Got/Gotten Give Give Gives Gave Give Giving Given Go Goes Went Go Going Gone Have Have Haves Had Have Having Had Keep Keep Keeps Kept Keep Keeping Kept Know Know Knows Knew Know Knowing Known Leave Leave Leaves Left Leave Leaving Left Make Make Makes Made Make Making Made Put Put Puts Put Put Putting Put Say Say Says Said Say Saying Said See See Sees Saw See Seeing Seen Show Show Shows Showed Show Showing Shown Take Take Takes Took Take Taking Taken Tell Tell Tells Told Tell Telling Told Think Think Thinks Thought Think Thinking Thought References Azar, B. S., & Hagen, S. A. (2009). Understanding and using English grammar. White Plains, NY: Pearson Longman. Hewings, M. (2013). Advanced grammar in use. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Huddleston, R., & Pullum, G.K. (2002). The Cambridge grammar of the . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Huddleston, R., & Pullum, G.K. (2005). A student’s introduction to English grammar. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Murphy, M. (2012). English grammar in use. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Writing Center SMC Campus Center 621 W. Lombard St. Room 307 www.umaryland.edu/writing 410-706-7725 3